Maldonado fined, reprimanded

F1 / 8 July 2012, 7:14pm

Reuters

William's Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado has been fined.

Silverstone, England – Crash-prone Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado was fined and reprimanded at the British Grand Prix on Sunday for causing another collision that cost him any hope of scoring points for Williams.

The stewards, including 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell, fined him $12,300 and said two penalties had been applied due to the serious nature of the 12th lap incident with Sauber's Mexican Sergio Perez.

Perez's car was pushed off track after the broadside impact as they battled for the corner, and he vented his frustration with a rival he has tangled with previously this season.

“He doesn't respect other drivers,” Perez told the BBC after stepping out of the car and trudging back to the Silverstone paddock while Maldonado remained on track and finished 16th.

“I was already in front and he should have given space not to crash, but he tried to push me all the way. I don't understand why he drives like that and I hope the stewards do something,” said Perez.

“This guy will never learn if they don't do something. He could hurt someone. Everybody has concerns about him.”

Maldonado, surprise winner of the Spanish Grand Prix in May, has a reputation as a quick driver with more than a few rough edges still to be smoothed off.

The former GP2 champion did not make any mistakes when he triumphed in Barcelona from pole but his short Formula One career has been littered with incidents and crashes that have cost his team precious points.

He was given a time penalty that cost him a point at the previous race in Valencia after colliding with McLaren's Lewis Hamilton while fighting for third place.

Before that, Maldonado had collected three grid penalties in two races.

One of those was a 10 place penalty for colliding with Perez in Monaco final free practice – an impact that cost him a further five places when his damaged gearbox had to be changed.

The Williams team felt it was a racing incident but accepted the reprimand.

“In that moment I was coming out of the pit with cold tyres. I was on the inside of the corner, so it was mine, Sergio was outside trying to take the position from me,” Maldonado had said after the race.

“I tried to defend and lost the rear of the car and we bumped tyres. It was disappointing. It was an unlucky race for me and that is it. Sergio can say what he wants. We are racing, we are trying to do our best.” – Reuters